Fire officials say they are still investigating what caused a fire Sunday that severely damaged the offices of a prominent Bethlehem
law firm.

"It's too early on a major fire like this," city
fire Chief Robert Novatnack said today. "It could
take days, if not weeks, for a cause."

The devastating, three-alarm blaze at 68 and 70 E.
Broad St. was first called in at 8:30 a.m. Many of the offices in the building belong
to Leeson, Leeson & Leeson, a
well-known firm owned
by partners Joseph F. Leeson Jr. and William P. Leeson.

The roof of the building collapsed in the fire and the inside was gutted, but
firefighters were able to keep the flames from spreading farther. The blaze was
nearly knocked out about three hours later.

With buildings just feet away from one another in the downtown strip, Novatnack
said it could have been much worse.

Firefighters made "a very good stop ... to
keep it in that one business area," he said.

Today, the charred remains of the law firm stood while windows were boarded up. A sign on the door directed all deliveries be made to a nearby law office until further notice.

While Novatnack did not have a dollar amount
for the losses, he said it could take weeks or months to repair the building.

A message left for Joseph Leeson was not immediately returned this morning.